Tribu Mabolokon performs in the street dancing competition of the 2019 Sinulog Grand Parade.
CEBU CITY, Philippines – For the first time since its inception, Barangay Mabolo’s Tribu Mabolokon will not take part in the Sinulog Festival.
Instead, the barangay is set to introduce a rebranded team, “Lambo Mabolo.”
Lawyer Daniel Francis Arguedo, barangay captain, explained that the decision to rebrand the contingent and form Lambo Mabolo was a step toward “autonomy and inclusivity” in their creative process.
“Ang nahitabo man gud adto sa Tribu Mabolokon, always mi-dependent nila [dance masters], unya wala mi’y say sa ilang presentation, program, sa ilang show, so silay magbuot tanan, whereas kining sa amoa karon, kami na gyud og daghan na nagtabang,” Arguedo told CDN Digital in an interview on January 8.
(What happened with Tribu Mabolokon is that we are always dependent to them (dance masters), and we have no say in the presentation, program, in their show, so they are the ones who would have a say on all things, whereas now, all of us help each other.)
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The dance masters, who previously led Tribu Mabolokon, have now joined forces with Barangay Kasambagan under the name “Bag-ong Tribu: Kasambagan.”
However, Arguedo said that this shift had not caused conflict between the two barangays. In fact, Kasambagan Barangay Captain Franklyn Ong paid him a courtesy visit to discuss the matter.
“Daghan sad gyud mi mga talents diri. Ngano dili man namo i-tap? Sayang among mga talent dili magamit kay dependent man mi ato nila. Gusto sad nako itap akong mga talents,” he said.
(We have many talents here. Why don’t we tap them? Our talents would go to waste if we would not use them because we are dependent to them. I also would like to tap our talents.)
“Always mi open nila [former choreographers and talents] provided nga ibutang sa ila mindset nga kining Sinulog affair is with the barangay, dili ilahang business, dapat naa gyud coordination and ang decision naa gyud sa barangay wala gyud sa ilaha,” he added.
(We are always open to them [former choreographers and talents] provided they make it their mindset that this Sinulog affair is with the barangay, not their business, there should be coordination and the decision should be with the barangay and not with them.)
Tribu Mabolokon
Tribu Mabolokon is a contingent that started its journey as a school-based group in the Sinulog sa Kabataan from 2007 to 2014. It transitioned to a barangay-based contingent between 2016 and 2018 and carried on its legacy of competitive performances.
The group earned championships in the school-based category in 2008, 2010, and 2013. As a barangay-based competitor, it secured 7th place in 2018, 5th in 2010, and 3rd in 2011.
Most recently, in 2024, Tribu Mabolokon finished 5th in the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan and earned the same rank in the Best in Musicality award. Renowned for its energetic choreography and exaggerated facial expressions, the group has been one of the crowd favorites for years.
Lambo Mabolo a fresh start for barangay
The newly formed Lambo Mabolo represents a fresh start for Barangay Mabolo. While the transition has not been without its challenges, Arguedo said he was still confident in the group’s potential.
“Kami, as much as possible, maka-present gihapon mi og quality. Whatever will be the outcome, depende na sa judges, but amo sad gyud isigurado nga competitive amo entry,” he said.
(We, as much as possible, can still present quality. Whatever will be the outcome, it will depend on the judges, but we also make sure that our entry would be competitive.)
The contingent will veer away from traditional nature-based themes and instead depict good governance, a concept Arguedo believes aligns with the barangay’s values.
“Mas okay, mas quality amo uniforma, mas quality ang props og sa costume. Sa execution na lang puhon kay first time sa grupo, but so far maayo pagkadala sa choreo. Confident ra ko nga mo land mi sa top, hopefully,” he added.
(Now, we are okay, our uniform has more quality, more quality in our props and costume. It’s just in the execution we will get better in the future because it is the group’s first time. But so far, the choreo is well managed. I am confident that we will land in the top, hopefully.)
Forming Lambo Mabolo
Forming Lambo Mabolo required Barangay Mabolo to start from scratch, especially after most of their original talents joined the former choreographers in Barangay Kasambagan.
Choreographer Marjun Salve, who now leads Lambo Mabolo, described the hurdles they faced in building the new contingent.
“So far, na-completo na gyud bisan sa ka-short sa time kay nag-back to zero baya mi. Among dancers mga bag-o gyud tanan, not the usual dancers sa Tribu Mabolokon,” Salve shared.
(So far, we completed the group even in so short a time because the others backed out and we were back to zero. Our dancers are all new, and they are not the usual dancers of Tribu Mabolokon.)
He acknowledged the steep learning curve and time constraints but commended the team for their perseverance and determination.
“Nabahin ang mga talents. Ang amoa karon mas pinaka-challenging gyud ron nga mga bag-o halos tanan. Short kaayo og time amo preparation. Grabe amo pag double time pero gikaya ra man pod sa mga bata,” he said.
(The talents were divided. Our biggest challenge no is that we are all new. Our preparation is short. We really worked hard to double time but the kids were up to it.)
With Lambo Mabolo making its debut at Sinulog 2025, Barangay Mabolo hopes to prove its resilience and creativity.
The rebranded contingent carries the aspiration of maintaining the barangay’s legacy while offering a fresh perspective on the Sinulog stage.